Lancaster University celebrated the achievements of hundreds of postgraduates across four ceremonies on Wednesday.

More than 1,050 Higher Degrees and Diplomas were conferred in person or in absentia by Vice-Chancellor Professor Mark E Smith and Pro Chancellor Lord Roger Liddle.

Honorary Degrees were conferred on expert in healthcare strategy, Professor David Croisdale-Appleby OBE, and renowned entrepreneur and inventor, Edward S. Fort OBE, with an Alumni Award presented to Palestinian constitutional lawyer Dr Sanaa Alsarghali.

Four graduates received the Chancellor’s Medal in recognition of their exceptional achievements, and more than 250 staff from across the University took part in the ceremonies.

Lancaster University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mark E Smith, congratulated those graduating, saying: “We are extremely proud to see the latest graduates celebrating their success with us here at Lancaster University. They follow in the footsteps of many who have gone out into the world and made a real difference, helping to establish Lancaster’s reputation as a global leader in education, knowledge-exchange and research.

“Much hard work has gone into achieving degrees across our Management School and Faculties of Health & Medicine, Science & Technology, and Arts & Social Sciences, and we hope their endeavour will be rewarded, wherever their lives may take them.

“Each of them will always be a part of Lancaster University, as are tens of thousands of graduates who have come before them, and more who will follow.

“As a global university, we are delighted to see students from so many countries, across the world, who have benefited from and helped us to sustain our status as one of the top-10 universities in the UK, and to become one of the best in the North of England.”

Among those graduating were Nigerian grandmother Rebecca Tama, who made the brave move to come to Lancaster; Hong Kong marketing student Emily Chung, who kept her family and friends informed of her time at Lancaster through a special Facebook page, and who is now working at a Lancashire marketing firm; Laura Smith, who followed in the footsteps of father Duncan in graduating at Lancaster – but whose first visit to the campus was to collect her degree; and Jordan Richards, still at Lancaster five years after arriving having made a late decision on his studies.